UN Palestine Commission – Communication from Palestine Communist Party re. allowing Jewish Agency to negotiate on its behalf

 UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication Received from the

Palestine Communist Party

The following communication has been received from the Palestine Communist Party in response to a letter addressed to it by the Commission on 20 February 1948:

BUNCHE

IN REPLY YOURS 20/2 (1) THE PALESTINE COMMUNIST PARTY AGREES IN PRINCIPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL ON GOVERNMENT (2) IN VIEW OF URGENT OF MATTER THE PARTY AGREES THAT JEWISH AGENCY FOR PALESTINE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AUTHORIZATION GIVEN BY VAAD LEUMI SHALL CONDUCT NEGOTIATIONS WITH PALESTINE IF COMMISSION REGARDING SETTING UP PROVISIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT (3) AFTER CONCRETE PROPOSALS REGARDING SETTING UP PROVISIONAL COUNCIL ARE KNOWN OUR PARTY RESERVES RIGHT TO SUBMIT DETAILED COMMENTS (4) AT SAME TIME WE PROPOSE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT OF JEWISH STATE BE ESTABLISHED ON FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES (A) REPRESENTATION ON COUNCIL MUST BE ACCORDING TO RELATIVE STRENGTH OF POLITICAL PARTIES AMONG JEWISH COMMUNITY (B) ONLY PARTIES PUBLICY DECLARING THEMSELVES IN AGREEMENT WITH UNITED NATIONS PLAN FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF TWO INDEPENDENT STATES IN PALESTINE ONE JEWISH ONE ARAB WITH ECONOMIC UNION MAY PARTICIPATE IN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT (C) THE DEMOCRATIC ELEMENTS AMONG ARAB POPULATION OF JEWISH STATE SHALL BE REPRESENTED ON COUNCIL SHOULD CIRCUMSTANCES NOT PERMIT IMMEDIATE PARTICIPATION OF SUITABLE ARAB REPRESENTATION VACANCIES SHALL BE LEFT FOR THEIR FUTURE PARTICIPATION.

ESTHER VILENSKA FOR PALESTINE COMMUNIST PARTY